Vacuum cleaner comprising a base compartment for attachments

ABSTRACT

A vacuum cleaner comprising a housing ( 1 ), in which a dust compartment ( 5 ), which can be closed by a dust compartment cover and is designed to receive a dust interceptor ( 6 ), and a fan compartment ( 7 ) for receiving a motor-driven fan unit ( 8 ) are configured. The vacuum cleaner also comprises a receiving compartment ( 16 ) for attachments ( 17 ), which extends below the dust compartment ( 5 ) and/or the fan compartment ( 7 ) and can be accessed by means of an opening ( 18 ) in the housing ( 1 ). The aim of the invention is to permit users to remove attachments ( 17 ) easily from the receiving compartment ( 16 ) that is located below the dust compartment ( 5 ) and the fan compartment ( 7 ). To achieve this, the opening(s) ( 18 ) is/are provided in a lateral wall ( 19 ) of the housing ( 1 ). This permits attachments ( 17 ) to be removed, without bringing the vacuum cleaner out of its normal operating position.

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner according to the introductorypart of patent claim 1.

A vacuum cleaner according to category is known from DE 39 04 394 A1.This vacuum cleaner comprises a vacuum cleaner housing which has a dustchamber and a motor chamber connected with the dust chamber. The housinghas a compartment, which extends over the underside in the region of thedust chamber, for reception of spare parts. The compartment is closableby a cover, which in the closed state is matched to the housing base tobe flush. For opening the cover at the base the vacuum cleaner has to bestood up so that the cover attached by means of hinges in the motorchamber region of the vacuum cleaner base can be pivoted open and aspare part removed. It is disadvantageous with respect thereto that thevacuum cleaner has to be set from its normal operating position into avertical position before the cover is accessible for opening thecompartment.

It is the object of the invention to develop a vacuum cleaner accordingto category in such a manner that a user can easily remove accessoriesfrom a receiving chamber arranged below the dust chamber or below thefan chamber. In particular, the user shall be able to remove theaccessories without having to take the vacuum cleaner out of its normaloperating position.

According to the invention this object is fulfilled in that at least oneopening, by way of which the receiving chamber for accessories isaccessible, is provided in a side wall of the housing. Thus, accessorieslocated in a receiving chamber below the dust chamber and/or below thefan chamber can be removed when the vacuum cleaner is disposed in itsnormal operating position. An inconvenient turning over or setting up ofthe vacuum cleaner is not necessary in order to gain access to thereceiving chamber. Moreover, in that case the advantage is obtained thatparticularly large or bulky accessories, for example even additionalsuction pipe lengths or suction hoses, can be stored at the vacuumcleaner.

In particular, accessories can be removed even when the vacuum cleaneris in operation. This is not possible in the case of conventional knownvacuum cleaners, since the accessories are mostly stored behind a dustchamber flap which closes the dust chamber receiving the dust bag. Ifthe dust chamber cover is opened in the case of this known vacuumcleaner in order to remove an accessory the vacuum cleaner is notoperational, since when the dust chamber cover is opened anunderpressure cannot be built up in the dust chamber. By contrastthereto, in the case of the vacuum cleaner according to the inventionthe receiving chamber is constructed separately from the dust chamber sothat even when the receiving chamber is opened an underpressuregenerated in the dust chamber is maintained. The vacuum cleaneraccording to the invention is thus operationally capable even when thereceiving chamber is opened for removal of accessories.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the at least one openingis closable by means of a closure part. Since the opening or theopenings is or are covered by a closure part, the visual appearance ofthe vacuum cleaner is maintained. The design of the vacuum cleaner isnot disrupted by interruptions in the surface. In particular, theaccessories are covered by the closure part and do not feature in theappearance. In addition, the accessories are less dirty when the openingor the openings is or are closed by a closure part and no dust or dirtcan get into the receiving chamber. The risk of soiling existedparticularly when the vacuum cleaner is operated with uncoveredopenings, since through movement of the vacuum cleaner on a dirty floordust and dirt could easily enter a receiving chamber arranged at thebase.

In a first alternative the closure part can be constructed as a flappivotably hinged to the side wall of the housing. If the closure part isconstructed as a flap pivotably hinged to the vacuum chamber cover, thena particularly economic closure part can be realised. In the simplestvariant, a flap made of plastics material is integrally formed by meansof a film hinge directly at a housing consisting of plastics material.Alternatively to pivotable mounting of the flap by means of a filmhinge, the flap can also be constructed as a separate component andfastened by way of a hinge, which is attached by one side thereof to thehousing and by the other side thereof to the flap, to the side wall ofthe housing. The flap can have a seal at a side facing the housing. Whenthe flap is closed a gap which possibly still remains between flap andside wall of the housing is sealed off so that no dust can penetrateinto the receiving chamber.

In a second alternative the closure part can be constructed as a louvreshutter, which is mounted on the side wall of the housing anddisplaceable in the plane of the side wall, or as a roller shutter. Theconstruction of the closure part as a displaceable louvre shutter orroller shutter has the advantage that the closure part in the openposition does not protrude from the outer contour of the vacuum cleaner.The visual appearance of the vacuum cleaner, even when the closure partis open, is thereby not disturbed. In addition, a louvre shutter leftopen cannot be damaged during operation of the vacuum cleaner to thehigh degree possible in the case of a flap left open. Advantageously,the displaceably mounted louvre shutter is guided at each of twoopposite ends in a respective guide rail. The guide rails can befastened along two opposite edges of the opening to extend at the sidewall of the housing. The guide rails or the opposite ends of the louvreshutter can have sealing inserts in order to seal off gaps, which may bepresent, between guide rails and louvre shutter, so that no dust canpenetrate into the receiving chamber.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the receiving chamber extendsfrom a first side wall of the housing to a second side wall, which isopposite the first side wall, of the housing. Due to the fact that thereceiving chamber extends from one side wall to the opposite side wallof the housing, there is created a largest possible receiving chamber inwhich also large accessories, such as, for example, additional suctionpipes or suction hoses, can be stored.

In an advantageous construction two openings arranged at opposite sidewalls of the housing are provided. Two opposite openings areparticularly advantageous, since the accessories can be introduced intothe receiving chamber from one side and removed from the receivingchamber from the other side. In particular, a long accessory can bepushed out by way of one opening in the side wall, in that the accessoryis pushed against from the opposite opening. The accessory is thuseasily removable. Particularly in the case of smooth-walled suctionpipes it is more advantageous to push against the suction pipe from oneend than to have to pull it out from the opposite side. A higher risk ofslipping exists in the case of pulling on the smooth-walled suction pipethan in the case of pushing on one end.

The invention is explained in more detail in the following on the basisof an example of embodiment, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a vacuum cleaner according to the invention in perspectiveview; and

FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the interior space of thevacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

A vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 1 comprises a housing 1 which consists ofan upper part 2 and a lower part 3. The upper part 2 carries at aforward end a coupling member into which a stub pipe of a suction hose(not illustrated) can be introduced. A dust chamber 5 is formed at thefront end below the upper part 2. A dust filter bag 6 is held within thedust chamber 5. The opening of the dust filter bag 5 is connected withthe coupling member 5. A fan chamber 7 is arranged behind the dustfilter bag 5 at the rearward end of the vacuum cleaner below the upperpart 2. A motor-fan unit 8 is fastened in the housing 1 within the fanchamber 7. The motor-fan unit 8 is supplied with electrical current byway of a mains cable 9 with a mains plug 10. The mains cable 9 can bewound up on a cable winding device 11 fastened in the housing 1. Themains cable 9 goes by way of a cable outlet opening 12, which isintegrally formed at the lower part 3, into the outside free space. Anintermediate wall 13, which has a suction opening 14, is arrangedbetween fan chamber 7 and dust chamber 5. The motor-fan unit 8 isconnected by the underpressure side thereof with the suction opening 14.An underpressure is produced in the dust chamber 5 by way of the suctionopening 14 in the intermediate wall 13. Dust-laden air is conducted byway of the coupling member 4 into the dust filter bag 6 by virtue of theunderpressure produced in the dust chamber 5. The air freed of dustpasses by way of the suction opening 14 into the fan of the motor-fanunit 8. The air is subsequently conducted via slat-like air outlet slots15 into the outside free space.

A receiving chamber 16 for accessories 17 is constructed in the lowerpart 3 below the dust chamber 5. The accessories 17 can, selectably, beloosely stored in the receiving chamber 16 or attachably fastened to thelower part 3 by means of retaining elements (not illustrated). Thereceiving chamber 16 is accessible by way of an opening 18 in the lowerpart 3. The opening 18 extends to at least one side wall 19 of the lowerpart 3. In the illustrated example of embodiment the opening 18 aextends not only on the side wall 19, but also along the base 20 oflower part 3 towards an opposite side wall of the lower part 3. Anopening 18 b, which does not extend over the base 20 of the lower part3, but is arranged merely within the side wall 19, can also be providedin the side wall 19. The side wall 18 b enables access to a receivingchamber 16 b arranged below the fan chamber 7. Receiving chamber 16 aand receiving chamber 16 b can also be of integral construction, i.e. goover into one another, wherein a single receiving chamber 16 is formedand is accessible not only by way of the opening 18 a, but also by wayof the opening 18 b.

The opening 18 a is, in the illustrated example of embodiment, closableby a louvre shutter 21. The louvre shutter 21 is mounted to bedisplaceable in the plane of the side wall 19. The opening 18 b isclosable by means of a flap 22 integrally formed at the lower part. Theflap 22 is made, just like the lower part, from plastics material. Theflap is pivotably fastened to the lower part 3 by means of a film hinge23. A handle 24 arranged in the front region of the vacuum cleanerserves for standing up and carrying the vacuum cleaner by hand.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the position of the receiving chamber 16 inthe lower part 3. The lower part has the side wall 19 on onelongitudinal side and a further side wall 25 at the opposite side. Theopening 18 a is arranged in the side wall 19. The second opening 18 b isarranged in the side wall 25. The accessories 17 are held in holders 26in the receiving space 16 and removable from the lower part 3 by way ofthe openings 18 a and 18 b.

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising a housing, in which a dust chamber, whichis closable by a dust chamber cover, for reception of a dust separatorand a fan chamber for reception of a motor-fan unit are constructed andwhich has a receiving chamber for accessories, which extends below atleast one of the dust chamber and the fan chamber and is accessible byway of at least one opening in the housing, wherein the at least oneopening is provided in a side wall of the housing.
 2. The vacuum cleaneraccording to claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is closable bymeans of a closure part.
 3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2,wherein the closure part includes a flap pivotably hinged to the sidewall of the housing.
 4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, whereinthe closure part includes a louver shutter mounted at the side wall ofthe housing and displaceable in the plane of the side wall.
 5. Thevacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the receiving chamberextends from a first side wall of the housing up to a second side wall,which is opposite the first side wall of the housing.
 6. The vacuumcleaner according to claim 5, wherein two openings arranged at oppositewalls of the housing are provided.
 7. A vacuum cleaner comprising: ahousing having a base and a side wall extending upwardly from the base,the vacuum cleaner resting on the base during normal operation of thevacuum cleaner; a dust chamber disposed within the housing and retaininga dust collector; a receiving chamber disposed within the housing belowthe dust chamber for receiving vacuum cleaner accessories; and anopening at least partially defined by the side wall and providing accessto the receiving chamber during normal operation of the vacuum cleaner.8. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, further comprising a fanchamber disposed within the housing and retaining a motor fan unit, thereceiving chamber disposed below the fan chamber.
 9. The vacuum cleaneraccording to claim 7, wherein the base of the housing at least partiallyforms the receiving chamber.
 10. The vacuum cleaner according to claim7, wherein the vacuum cleaner accessories are removable from thereceiving chamber through the opening during normal operation of thevacuum cleaner.
 11. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, wherein thehousing includes a second side wall extending upwardly from the base anddisposed opposite the side wall, the side wall and the second side wallboth at least partially defining the receiving chamber.
 12. The vacuumcleaner according to claim 11, wherein the opening extends at leastpartially along the side wall, across the base, and at partially alongthe second side wall.
 13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 11,further comprising a second opening at least partially defined by thesecond side wall and providing access to the receiving chamber duringnormal operation of the vacuum cleaner.
 14. The vacuum cleaner accordingto claim 7, further comprising a dust chamber cover being movablebetween an open condition, in which access is provided to the dustchamber, and a closed condition, in which the dust chamber is closed,the dust chamber cover being in the closed condition during normaloperation of the vacuum cleaner.
 15. The vacuum cleaner according toclaim 7, further comprising a closure part that is movable relative tothe housing to open and close the opening.
 16. The vacuum cleaneraccording to claim 15, wherein the closure part includes a flappivotably hinged to the side wall of the housing.
 17. The vacuum cleaneraccording to claim 15, wherein the closure part includes a louvershutter mounted at the side wall of the housing and being displaceablewith respect to the housing in the plane of the side wall.
 18. A vacuumcleaner comprising: a housing having a base and first and second sidewalls extending upwardly from the base and disposed opposite oneanother, the vacuum cleaner resting on the base during normal operationof the vacuum cleaner; a dust chamber disposed within the housing andretaining a dust collector; a receiving chamber disposed within thehousing below the dust chamber and extending from the first side wall tothe second side wall, the receiving chamber receiving vacuum cleaneraccessories to be stored within the housing; an opening at leastpartially defined by the side wall and providing access to the receivingchamber during normal operation of the vacuum cleaner; and a closurepart that is movable relative to the housing to open and close theopening.
 19. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 18, wherein theclosure part includes a flap pivotably hinged to the side wall of thehousing.
 20. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 18, wherein theclosure part includes a louver shutter mounted at the side wall of thehousing and being displaceable with respect to the housing in the planeof the side wall.
 21. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, whereinthe receiving chamber extends from a first side wall of the housingtoward a second side wall along a lateral extent of the receivingchamber and the lateral extent of the receiving chamber is sufficient tostore a first accessory and a second accessory with the first accessorybeing laterally intermediate the second accessory and the opening. 22.The vacuum cleaner according to claim 21, wherein the receiving chamberhas an access opening and further comprising a louver shutter mounted atthe side wall of the housing, the louver shutter being displaceable withrespect to the housing in the plane of the side wall to selectivelypermit access to, and prevent access to, the receiving chamber.
 23. Thevacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the receiving chamber hasan access opening and further comprising a louver shutter mounted at theside wall of the housing, the louver shutter being displaceable withrespect to the housing in the plane of the side wall to selectivelypermit access to, and prevent access to, the receiving chamber.